What exactly is a brand?

Let’s begin with the absolutely not so obvious to many. A brand is not a logo, a jingle, an ad or a slogan. It is also not the product, a symbol or a name. This is a common misconception to young entrepreneurs and first time small business owners who are “building a brand”.

So, then what is a brand?

The short and simply version is this: A brand is a promise made and kept.

Let’s break that down.

You can tell your customers’ all day long who you are, what you are and what you do, but the reality is, your brand is based on their perception, i.e, your reputation. Your reputation is based on “promise made, promise kept.” Do you deliver on what you say you will? If you don’t you have an anemic brand.

All the other elements such as logo etc, fall under the category of “brand identity.” These are the visible elements of a brand, such as color, design, and logo, that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers' minds. They help customers identify you. These elements are not the brand itself.

There are two brand catagories.

1. PERSONAL BRAND: this first one is rarely thought of. YOU in your every day life are a brand. You are perceived a certain way and you have a reputation that determines if people like or trust you. And we interact (or do business) with people we know, like, trust and relate to.

   The easiest and most impactful personal brand you can build is one that is authentic; a true and sincere reflection of your core values and your character. Not fake values that you contrived to look and sound good on paper, but honest, sincere values that you embody and live by in all aspects of your being and your business: your behaviors, your words, your actions, your habits and your patterns. Be aware that over time, your true brand or character will eventually be exposed. This is what you will be judged and perceived on… it’s your promise.

   These same principals apply to the business world. The essence of your character/values (personal brand) will bleed into any form of business you undertake.

   Read the blog: BUILDING A STRONG PERSONAL BRAND

   Read the blog: 3 TIPS TO BUILDING A STRONG BUSINESS BRAND

2. BUSINESS BRAND… read the business brand blog.

5 Pillars That Inspire Customer Loyalty

Inspiring Customer Loyalty is a lot cheaper and impactful than short-term thinking and gimmicks that may drive immediate sales, but means your competing with everybody to have the better deal. Customer loyalty means, they will stay even if it's cheaper across the street. Think of your favorite brand (hairdresser etc). What keeps you going back?

Trader Joe’s does it right. It has the kindest, friendliest team, company culture ever. It’s evident they have:

1. Taken the time to recruit the right talent and effectively onboard.

2. Heavily invested in the training of their employees.

3. Clearly defined their culture, vision and mission beyond carefully chosen words that sound great on paper. Core values are a way of life not a theory.

4. Care about the customer and employee experience.

5. Not compromised their core values to accommodate quick profits, but rather establish customer loyalty through providing a consistent caring and kind customer experience... with a personal (human) touch.

At ENGAGE Teams 360 we help organizations build and design happier, more caring teams through our “engaging” impactful fun trainings and workshops.

Vital Germaine, President ENGAGE Teams 360 and Keynote Speaker

The New #1 Leadership Quality

Regardless of age or generation, leadership has changed and will constantly change. The biggest recent change being leaders shifting from power to empowerment. The expectations of younger generations has compelled organizations to re-evaluate hiring, benefits and workspace environments.

As both employee and consumer expectations change, leaders must adapt too. If they don’t, they won’t have access to the top-tier of talent. Without great talent, building successful teams, companies or organizations becomes incredibly hard.

Workspace wellness in terms of healthy or toxic cultures, combined with employee engagement and health management aren’t yet top of list, let alone top of mind. However… with mental health becoming more relevant in everyday society and modern workspaces, be it hybrid scenarios or remote work, or shorter work weeks etc, leaders will have to tap much deeper into their emotional quotient. With empathy being the consummate measure of EQ.

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives. ”

— Oprah Winfrey

In my book, Pink Is the Color of Empathy, I dedicate chapter 32 entirely to empathy in business. The book is rich in action steps to become a better human being, which is directly correlated to becoming a better leaders. The areas of focus in the book range from what empathy does and doesn’t sound like, to conflict resolution (customer satisfaction), changing and saving lives. The ultimate flex of the book is inspiring and empowering individuals to become high-value human beings.

Becoming a high-value person in a disconnected world.

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

A Common Overlooked Organizational Growth Opportunity with Employees

What drives, inspires and motivates team members to reach higher and hit the target?

No, I mean really, what is their deepest, most defining/preserving emotional and psychological need?

It is something organizations often ignore or forget to invest in.

I’ve spent the best part of the last ten years delivering employee trainings for such companies as United Airlines and BMW. The focus has been on elevating KPIs (Key Performance Indexes) or OKR’s (Objective Key Results), culture, competencies, customer service, efficiency and productivity (which are great), and reinforcing company core values. The ultimate short-term goals are”always” elevating profits and brand strength.

Let’s take a quick look into standard anatomy of the OKR framework. See image below.

ANATOMY OF THE OKR FRAMEWORK

OBJECTIVES: goals that inspire and set direction (where do I need to go?)

KEY RESULTS: steps that measure progress toward a goal (how do I know I’m getting there?)

INITIATIVES: tasks required to drive progress of key results (what will I do to get there?)

These types of organizational frameworks/trainings bring incredible value. HOWEVER…

Applying this same framework to individual and personalized growth is the long-term differentiator. See image below, in particular the STAR - add personal objectives .

Investing in an employees’ personal development/objectives makes them better human beings. Good human beings are good employees. By identifying, recognizing and investing in individuality (personal aspirations/needs/expectations), and helping team members understand the essence of who they are as individuals is a long-term win-win investment.

The best leaders not only train for growth, they inspire growth!

One of the best ways to inspire any human is to SEE them. Actually “seeing” somebody is potentially the highest form of respect we can give. This elevates and empowers people to reach higher.

Give them the tools to not only learn and understand company core values, but also identify and understand their own core values. Help them see who they are themselves and how as individuals they can best fit and contribute to the company vision and mission. Help the become the best version of themselves not just the best employee. Who are THEY? What do they really WANT? What do they NEED?

Employees are rarely driven by money alone. It’s deeper than that. Money is only a conduit to attain what is truly desired and needed.

Help team members have the confidence to discover themselves and know themselves. It's scary to look thyself in the eyes until you see your own soul for all its glories and fears. Down there, deeply hidden in the foundations of their character lies the answer to who they really are and who/what they really want to be. Help them get there and they will reach higher.

It might take them and the organization a minute to truly SEE themselves! It might take years for them to discover the true self, but the journey is worth it. The investment in personal development in the workplace pays high dividends.

The reflection they will see, the self awareness they will develop, will connect them to a strong sense of purpose. Think Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why.” If that purpose aligns with your core values, vision and mission, then you have a star employee whose productivity and efficiency will soar. That mindset is contagious. It INSPIRES.

The better we know ourselves, the better we can optimize our lives. The better we can optimize our own lives, the more value we can bring to the lives of others.

In Chapter 20 of my book, THINK LIKE AN ARTIST, I share a very impactful self-discovery activity to truly give the individual a starting point to dig deeper into who they are and what drives them.

Who are you really?

My other creativity book titled, INNOVATION MINDSET is the business/leadership equivalent of THINK LIKE AN ARTIST. Request more information about my signature creativity workshop/keynote. At ENGAGE Teams 360, we love to inspire and empower through our highly interactive, fun, informative and transformational content.

Vital Germaine,

President ENGAGE Teams 360

Should a leader be feared or loved?

Niccolò Machiavelli once said, "It is better to be feared than to be loved." He claimed that fear was a better motivator than love. Therefore, fear is a more effective tool than love, concerning leadership.

I think this question has no definitive answer other than, the authenticity of that leader. Some leaders install a level of fear. Those are easier to follow IF, they are just. However, when fear is layered with inconsistency, favoritism, intimidation or bullying, then that fear will breed contempt and resentment. Overtime that leader will minimize their results.

Perhaps the only time when fear is appropriate or necessary, is fearing the fair consequences of one’s appropriate behavior in accordance to culture and expectations, or not delivering on responsibilities or expectations etc.

The leader that is loved, may be more easily “betrayed” as love is fleeting (according to Machiavelli). IF that loved leader can make tough, even heartless decisions, at the right time and for the right reasons, then team dynamics is optimized. The will not only be feared but respected. There are many styles to consider to help you optimize your style. Another element of a great leader is the ability to adapt dependent of circumstance: when, who and why.

Ultimately, leadership needs to leverage emotional intelligence and act in a way that instills trust, confidence and that inspires. Be authentic. Focus on empowerment rather than power. Be a RESPECTED leader.

One of the main driving forces behind effective leadership is communication. Learn more about communication.

Vital Germaine

President, ENGAGE Teams 360

Who Really Drives the Results of DEI Initiatives?

The are two  basic drivers of true and impactful Diversity Equity and Inclusion strategies.

They say that the journey to social parity, in particular, in the work place, begins at the top with leadership (or when you’re summoned to HR). It actually doesn’t start there. It begins with the self… YOU.

Leadership either stifles the concept of DEI, or it fuels the internal cultural judgment and undermining of colleagues.

Here are the two behavioral pillars to inspire a shift in thinking and doing. They create positive ripple effects that elevate others (and yourself because you will then become a high-value person).

1. Empathy:

   Leaning into your conscience to connect with your innate knowing of what is right and wrong. When people care and are curious to know and understand the journey of another, there is only one outcome… respect. And if you respect somebody, it becomes very hard to undermine or belittle them. Having respect, levels the playing field because it means you see and honor the other person’s existence. They call this Sawubona in Zulu. If you want to learn about Sawubona, I talk about it my newest book, PINK IS THE COLOR OF EMPATHY.

2. Awareness:

   Knowing that “love” can’t be legislated makes you the sole entity responsible for your choices and actions. In other words, your conscience shouldn’t need laws, rules, regulations or policy to drive your behavior. We are all responsible for our choices and actions. It’s the accountability and lack of emotional intelligence that is the hurdle.

HR or the executive team can only provide guidance as to appropriate social behavior in your organization or company. Those guidelines fortunately have consequences when negated. They promote accountability but are not the “pill” unto themselves.

Are you truly honoring and implementing the ultimate intentions of DEI initiatives? Only you know that answer. Adjust accordingly as there is always room for growth and improvement.

The element of effective COMMUNICATION is what brings it together. LEARN MORE

Vital Germaine

President of ENGAGE Teams 360

The Basics of Great Leadership

Vital Germaine Keynote - Standing Ovation for Office Dynamics Conference

Regardless of your position or title, we are all leaders. We all influence and impact our company’s culture simply in the way we behave and show up. Great leaders learn from others and are inspired by other leaders, however, don’t rely on others to drive your behavior and decisions. Be a leader by example at all times, regardless of pay or position.

Here ar e a few basic tools to help you become a great leader.

1. Emotional Intelligence:

   Be aware of your behavior and choices and how they create ripple affects among your team and culture. Through awareness it becomes easier to adapt and fine-tune our behavior, leading to growth and improvement. Be particularly aware of how you make others feel. Video

2. Caring:

   Any leader that clearly communicates that they care for the well-being of their colleagues and/or team becomes a high-value person (read my book, Pink Is The Color of Empathy)

3. Listening:

   Listening with an open, caring and understanding ear or heart is one of the most empowering things a leader can do as a leader.

   “To be an effective leader, you have to be a really good listener and not to what's being said, but to what's not being said. You have to be really observant.” - Kobi Bryant

4. Adaptability

   The ability to pivot and change course when needed is key to human survival, let alone leadership. How flexible are you? Do you have an innovation mindset that can navigate challenges with poise and confidence. Read the book, Innovation Mindset.

5. Inspiration

   “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams (6th President of the United States)

6. Collaboration:

   Short video

7. Communication:

   To begin your journey into becoming a great leader, know that communication skills are crucial. Let’s begin with the acronym H.A.I.L from Julien Treasure (Ted Talk). Implement these four pillars of effective and confident communication and so much will improve.

   - Honesty

   - Authenticity

   - Integrity

   - Love (respect/caring)

1. Bring it all together

Vital Germaine is Las Vegas’ most dynamic and memorable keynote speaker. Watch his sizzle reel:

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary, is that little extra.”

— Jimmy Johnson

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

Employee Development versus Employee Performance _ which should you invest in more?

Most companies and organizations focus on employee training as a means to elevate performance. At ENGAGE Teams 360, we deliver a double win by training for development rather than performance.

What's the difference and what's your ROI?

There are two principals to understand that when implemented deliver totally different results. If you want better results, read on.

1. PERFORMANCE PRINCIPAL

When leadership predominately focuses on numbers/profits, efficiency and productivity, they get short-term gains. The immediate results appear beneficial. Over time, however, productivity dwindles. Turn-over increases. Disengagement becomes a cultural pandemic and by the time it’s felt or identified, it’s too late. The fix will cost so much time, effort and resources. As a result, your organization may have alienated a large chunk of your client base. Winning back customers is simply too costly. Why would you risk losing them in the first place? Because you’re too focused on employee performance.

Investing purely for performance is short-sighted leadership. The great leaders are aware of this. They avoid it, if not negate it as a part of their cultural and business identity.

If policy and SOPs (standard operation procedures) are what drives your company, you may want to reconsider. You can’t legislate caring, desire or motivation. You can only INSPIRE it. Policy and SOPs are definitely needed as a launching pad from which to fly, however, a launching pad pointed in the wrong direction with the wrong fuel won’t reach, let alone hit the target. Your foundation needs to be adaptable, malleable and emotionally aware of what your team feels, needs, desires and expects.

If you deny the human aspect of business, you are doomed to fail. Employees are humans… sentient beings. So then what?

2. DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPAL

The real leadership flex is Investing in your employees as individuals, each with their unique set of expectations and aspirations. What’s THIER WHY? Those individuals come together to form a team.

Investing in development says you care about them as individuals rather than commodities. Most cultures are not designed to recognize this aspect of leadership and business. They get lost in the short-term vision of higher profits and increased efficiency. And that is the major faux-pas that is so common, it’s accepted as THE way to build a company. Money is never the real carrot. When companies focus on numbers, it inspires disengagement amongst their employees. Employee disengagement costs the US economy upwards of $500 Billion according to Gallup.

Remember, employees are human. They have intrinsic emotions such as the desire to feel valued, appreciated, respected, seen, heard and understood. They want to know you care about THEM: their dreams, aspirations, purpose, fears, triggers, paint-points. They don’t want to feel like meaningless pawns or robots who’s only function is to produce and produce and produce. “What’s in it for me?” they ask themselves. A paycheck? For most employees, the paycheck doesn’t validate the workload, stress and disrespect they face from bad managers and disgruntled customers. This very fact is in big part the fuel behind the “Great Resignation.” Leadership has been too preoccupied with performance. They forgot about recognizing the HUMANS who deliver their products and/or services.

Investing in employees as individuals inevitably results in elevated performance. Engaged employees who are personally challenged and empowered, feel valued and cared for. Being valued and appreciated is the most simple and impactful way to inspire people to REACH HIGHER. The best way to communicate you care about your people is to have EMPATHY… the highest form of emotional intelligence, which means you are investing in THEM.

At ENGAGE Teams 360, we focus on development rather than performance. This is one of the great innovation MINDSET lessons I learned during my five years with Cirque du Soleil as an acrobat and team captain. Do a deep dive into the INNOVATION MINDSET, which includes this specific topic in my book.

Vital Germaine, President of ENGAGE Teams 360

Leveraging your fear to fuel achievement

It has been said the we either run away from pain or we run towards pleasure. It’s called the “Pain, pleasure principal.” by Sigmund Freud.

Running toward pleasure is easier, though running away from pain is arguably a stronger motivator. It can, however, paralyze. We are afraid of pain. It brings worry and stress. Meanwhile, it inspires courage and action… change!

Many memes and acronyms claim or suggest that fear is not real. One popular one is: False Evidence Appearing Real.

Fear is very… read more:

Vital Germaine

Access more learning resources by FOLLOWING ME ON

Optimizing Innovation

Innovation is a beautiful and necessary thing to keep any business or organization relevant.But it has to be done right and at the opportune time. Otherwise, it can be a black hole that sucks the life out of your financial resources, your time, and your passion, with a negative impact on your consumer base.

It is crucial to find a healthy balance between that which is new and different, and that which is misunderstood or too far ‘out there’. Despite all the insight and advice I give to Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies as a keynote speaker, consultant and trainer, regarding the INNOVATION MINDSET, things like; take risks, be absurd in your thinking, the objective is always to optimize the success rate of creativity in the workplace.

Innovation Mindset Keynote

If something is TOO different, it will invite fear and resistance; alienation.

If it is not new enough, it will not inspire excitation; same ol’ same ol’.

Let’s talk Alienation

If an invention, a new product or an improved service is too extreme for the market to comprehend, it will alienate the consumer base. Why? Because those consumers won’t understand this new and different thing that you are proposing. Not to mention, humans, for the most part, don’t like change, let alone drastic or radical change. They panic: fight, flight or freeze. If you have enough time or money to educate your audience, then go for it. Patience and long-term planning pay dividends.

To avoid alienation, you’ll need to place your finger on your customers’ purchasing pulse. What are their needs, expectations and desires… and of course, pain points? If you make it too different, you’ve simply added a new pain point; steep learning curve. Anybody remember Microsoft’s Vista?

Next part of the equation is understanding how informed your base is? And maybe the most important questions is, are they ready for this new thing? Lets’ not forget the element of timing. Think of the movie industry who have to determine when to release a movie. In general, product launches are carefully mapped out following extensive marketing research. Release it too soon and people laugh or run. Release it too late, and you are now no longer first to market. You’re simply a follower jumping on the bandwagon; which sometimes works a treat because it allows you to improve on the innovation.

Really pay attention to the marketplace during your ideation and R&D. Invest in understanding people; socio-economic climate, financial climate, and most definitely… trends. Don’t you dare deny trends. Every now and again, something does come along that is radically different, goes against the trend grain, and is not initially understood, yet, it eventually takes over like wildfire. Think of companies like Cirque du Soleil, Tesla, Apple and Virgin. They were all first to market, they all revolutionized their industries. Though not without resistance. Again, time and money!

Let’s not forget the negative side of the innovation graph. Some inventions or creations that were innovative but didn’t really do the research fail miserably. Failure is not bad, btw. It’s costly when risks are careless. 

For those of you who are older than Millennials, you may remember the VHS / Betamax wars. Betamax, actually had the better technology; superior resolution (250 lines vs. 240 lines), better sound, and a more stable image. Why did they not dominate and kill VHS? They didn’t understand the market. Betamax.

The “quickie” version of this tale is, porn. Yep, porn video rentals at the back of the store where men discretely shopped. Some will say it was due to the length of sports games. Betamax tapes could only record 60 minutes. VHS, 120 minutes. The word on the street is that because Betamax didn’t allow porn on its platform, men got accustomed to VHS. True or not? Either way, the moral of the story is, know the market and consumer behaviors. Create and adapt accordingly.

Do a deeper dive into the INNOVATION MINDSET… buy the book today!

Let’s talk excitation

When innovation is on time, at the right price and correctly distributed, it will excite people. Excitement is based on experiencing something new, yet relatable… and keeping up with the trends (and the Jones’). Some traditional and established companies don’t push too much for innovation, though they won’t stay completely static either. Rolls Royce doesn’t exactly bring out a new model every couple of years. Yet they have remained relevant and significant. Unlike Harley Davidson, unfortunately. They have experienced 5 straight years of dropped sales of up to 5.2% - with shares falling 4.3% to $33.37.

Companies must think ahead in order to appeal to new generations, even if the brand wishes to remain traditional. Expectations change. Standard change. Styles change… therefore so must product, services and customer experience adapt.

Keeping your audience excited will inspire repeat business. Apple are geniuses at this, though we are all waiting for the next best thing since sliced bread or the iPod. Besides an investment from Microsoft, the Iphone is given credit for not only saving Apple, but for propelling it the first publicly traded $ trillion company on the planet (2018). It has since doubled that in 2020. In big part because they are continually striving to innovate and excite.

Sincerely,

Vital Germaine

PRESIDENT of ENGAGE Teams 360

Top-Selling Author: BUY THE BOOKS

Follow Vital Germaine on:

LEARN MORE about our leadership and culture learning virtual trainings. They are INFORMATIVE IMPACTFUL ENTERTAINING IMMERSIVE TRANSFORMATIVE …. and FUN!

Innovation Mindset Keynote by Vital Germaine